£1m present for Drumahoe area

Derelict: Faughan Valley High School, Drumahoe, the site of a new district park worth �1m

Published:14:59Updated:15:50Monday 14 December 2015

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Residents of Drumahoe have received an early Christmas present - confirmation that they are to get a £1m district park.

The formal announcement was made on Monday. The project will see the creation of a purpose built district park on the old Faughan Valley School site adjacent to Drumahoe Primary School.

Among the first to welcome the news was Hilary McClintock committee member of Drumahoe Community Association, who said she was “delighted” at the official confirmation.

“Andrew Russell from the Community Association, Terry McMasters from the primary school and myself have worked on this project for many years with Colin Kennedy from Council. It is fantastic that the money has been secured for this flagship project,” she said.

The application for funding was led by Derry City and Strabane District Council with community and statutory partners. The grant will be used to support the development of Drumahoe District Park which will be located on a strip of land adjacent to the Drumahoe Primary School on the site of the old Faughan Valley School.

The scheme will include a new district playpark, multi use pitches, bio diversity walk, car parking and will open up the pitches already owned by council.

Welcoming the news Andrew Russell Chairman of Drumahoe Community Association has said it was a fantastic project for Drumahoe.

“We have been involved in massive consultation with the wider community to ensure that this project is shaped by the people of the area,” he said.

“The application process for these flagship grants was highly competitive and we recognise that all the groups who applied put a huge amount of work into their applications to the programme,” said Michael Hughes from the Space and Place programme.

“We know from our experience of previous Space and Place awards, the massively positive difference that these grants can make in communities. The consortium is delighted that these latest projects will continue to help address issues of need and for some, issues of division which fits perfectly with the ethos of the Space and Place programme.”